The One
by honu59
Summary: Danny contemplates his relationship with Jane. A shortie based on a screen cap, a response to a writer's challenge.


_A.N. - Thanks to "Tanith2011" for beta-reading this and thanks to "Book 'em Again" for the name of Chin's wife. The dialog in the second scene is taken from the episode "Beautiful Screamer", so not my own words. _

**The One**

"Chin, can I ask you a personal question?" Danny asked, staring out the windshield into the darkness.

"Ah…sure, what's on your mind?" the older Oriental man responded.

The two detectives had run out of shop talk a couple of hours ago. The late night stakeout had produced no action, only boredom. But the question that was foremost in Danny's mind wasn't easy to put into words. Men didn't usually discuss such things.

"When did you know that Lin was the one? I mean…when were you sure?"

Chin smiled at his colleague's question and took a couple of puffs on his pipe, the curl of smoke drifting out the open window on the evening trades. Danny was almost young enough to be his son, and at times like this Chin felt that his role of father extended beyond his family at home. "Danny, you getting pretty serious with Jane?"

Danny cleared his throat before responding. "Yeah," he answered quietly, grateful for the darkness that hid the redness rising in his face.

"That was many years and several children ago," Chin mused as he searched his memory for an appropriate answer. "When you first connect with someone, you find that there's always a lot to talk about. But if you also feel comfortable in the silence, if you can just be together and feel at peace with no conversation, then that's a good start."

The young detective soaked up the words. A couple of minutes passed before he continued with a deeper concern.

"What about this job, Chin? Has it ever been a problem between you and Lin?" This was something that truly worried Danny. He had several friends at HPD whose marriages had broken under the burden of the demands of police work.

"I'll tell you something, Danny," Chin said, his smile audible in his voice. "When Lin and I were engaged, her sister was getting married and I was supposed to be an usher at the wedding. Turned out that there was a hostage situation that day, and I was called in. I was with HPD back then, Five-O didn't exist yet. Well, I never made it to the wedding. I was sure that I was going to catch holy hell and the engagement would be off."

"What happened?"

"I was dead wrong," Chin replied. "When I saw Lin that evening, she took me in her arms and told me how thankful she was that I was safe and how proud of me she was. I knew then and there what an amazing woman she was and that we would be fine."

"Wow," Danny said softly. "Thanks, Chin."

o-o-o

"Knowing the precise time helps. We know when and where," Danny began, leaning one hand on his boss's large desk.

It was almost noon and the three detectives were discussing the scant amount of evidence they had gathered since the shocking murder at the posh Makaha Club the day before. Though Danny had known the victim, he had currently detached himself from that fact and was at his professional best, doing the work he loved.

"That leaves who and why," Steve commented forcefully before he was interrupted by the buzz of his phone.

After the tall detective relayed Jenny's message to his second-in-command, Danny hurried from the room, promising his boss that he would break the lunch date that had slipped his mind and wondering how Jane would react to his lapse in memory. In his heart, he knew that his relationship with Jane was different than what he had had with other women. What they had was special in a way that he couldn't explain. And he really didn't want to blow it.

He passed Jenny's desk, his eyes on the beautiful woman seated in his cubicle.

"Honey, forgive me, I'm really sorry," Danny began. But before he could apologize any further, Jane cut in quickly in a gentle tone, her soft brown eyes meeting his worried blue gaze.

"Of course you can't come, that's why I'm here."

The young detective breathed a small sigh of relief, and the memory of a late night stakeout leapt to his mind. Chin's words of wisdom returned to him in perfect clarity along with a meaningful revelation.

Danny and Jane made plans for dinner that evening at eight, and then unconcerned with the lack of privacy, his lips met hers. So many thoughts filled his mind, and for that moment he felt as though he were on top of the world. He had his dream career and now he had this amazing, beautiful woman who understood what that calling meant, broken dates and all. Danny's heart felt complete and in that instant he just knew. _She was the one!_

"I love you," Jane affectionately called out to him as she left the office. _The icing on the cake!_

Unable to completely hide the smile lighting his face, Danny returned to Steve's private office and went back to work.

**Pau**


End file.
